


What Dreams May Come

by Tertia_Quinn



Series: Dreaming My Dreams With You [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 08:58:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20405086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tertia_Quinn/pseuds/Tertia_Quinn
Summary: Vanya and Five share dreams. Amongst other things.  My Entries for Fiveya week





	1. Apocalypse

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been seeing all the Fiveya Week posts and I decided to put my hand in the Cookie Jar.

** Apocalypse **

The heat was unbearable. Oh, you’d think it would be the cold that he couldn't stand but there were things that could be done about that. No, it was the heat. The neverending hellish fires that even now five years later, still burned across the landscape, its orange fingers licking across the horizon like a vengeful spirit, leaving nothing but dust and ash in its wake.

He looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow as he glanced behind himself nervously, making sure she was alright and still following along. She was. He’d tried everything he could think of to get her to ride in the wagon with Delores. From swearing to guilt-tripping and finally as a last result that still caused his pride to sting, begging. Vanya being Vanya would have none of it. She was still so afraid of being useless and a burden, that she took every chance there was to prove she wasn't. It would have been faster and so much easier on them both, if she had just listened to him and gotten into the fucking wagon, but since they’d managed to get stuck here in the future, she’d seem to decide it was her new mission in life to fight him on every single god damned thing under the sun. 

When he’d finally had enough of the arguing and tried to bodily pick her up and place her in it, she had kicked and screamed and then bit him out of pure spite, leaving the tiny imprints of her teeth set neatly in the bend of his elbow.

She stumbled a bit and he sighed and closed his eyes bringing his fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“Are you ready to get in the wagon yet?” he called back to her. The one-fingered salute was the only answer he received as she managed to get her footing back underneath herself and started to trudge towards him again. 

He waited until she caught up with him then held out his canteen. Large amber eyes stared back at him, full of dignity and he could see her debating in her head whether or not slaking her thirst was worth the injured pride.

“For Christ's sake, Vanya, its just water, take it. We’ll hit a river or stream soon and then we can gather some more and I’ll boil it.” He snorted here. “It's not like we have a shortage of fire.”

She winced and her bottom lip wobbled and he realized he’d fucked up and been too harsh with her again. He didn't mean to be but he was tired and hungry and so damned hot and she’d fought him on every god damned thing he’d ask of her. 

She didn't behave like a normal rational being who listened to things like logic or common sense. No, Vanya was an emotional creature. Who spit in the face of everything he deemed rational. Took it and turned it upside down and inside out until it fit her world view and he was left standing there, gaping in disbelief. He could present her with logical and sane arguments he knew to be ironclad and somehow she would without fail find some way to poke holes in it.

“I’m sorry,” he told her sadly, reaching out and tugging on a single strand of her hair. ”I’m just tired and hot and all-around miserable.” He turned dejected indigo eyes on her and lowered himself down into the dirt, leaning back until both his head and back were against the wagon, resting in its meager shade. 

“It's my fault.” she whimpered softly, causing his eyes to snap back open and stare at her in disbelief. 

“What?” he asked incredulously, glad she was actually talking to him again but wondering what the Hell she was on about. 

“That you’re stuck here,” she told him, casting her eyes downward and clenching her fists. “It’s my fault.”

“What?” he asked again, not able to believe what she was saying.

“You heard me.”

“Nope, I couldn't have, because it sounded like you just said it was your fault we’re stuck here and I know that's not true.”

“But it is.” she told him, softly biting her lip and obviously trying not to cry. ”I should have been able to stop you, talked you out of it, something. Done anything but what I did. I just sat there and let you blow up at Dad of all people, then take off for parts unknown. So you see it's my fault. You told me what you were going to do and I just let you do it.”

“Hate to tell you this, Vanya” he informed her in a sarcastic voice, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wagon again, “but you couldn't have stopped me. I made a decision, it wasn't a very smart or informed decision, but it was mine to make and I made it.”

“I should have tried at the very least.” She told him, her eyes full of pain. "Instead, all I did was sit there like a dummy and wait to see what happened."

He heaved his shoulders in a heavy sigh then turned to face her. 

"What would Dad had done if you had tried to get up and stop me. If you had 'said something'?"

She bit harder into her lip and stared at the ground.

"What would he have done, Van-ya?" 

She kept her eyes on the ground, still refusing to answer.

“C'mere.” he said, reaching his hand out for her when he realized she wasn't going to answer him. 

She blinked startled but then slowly put her hand trustingly in his. Smirking, he yanked on it, pulled her unceremoniously into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

“He would have punished you,” he told her softly. “He would have found some horrible punishment, and then he would have degraded you in front of the others, making you feel even more inferior and worse still, it wouldn't have changed anything.”

“You don't know that,” she told him angrily, pulling forward, turning her body sideways so she could lock her eyes to his. “If I had said something, you might have listened to me, you might have waited and then you wouldn’t be stuck…. Here.”

“It would have changed nothing. Do you hear me, I know myself pretty well by now, and it would have changed nothing!” he told her sorrowfully, leaning forward and laying his forehead against hers. “You’re probably the only person on this earth I would ever listen to, Vanya but let's be honest here. There was nothing you could do. I was determined to prove Dad wrong and to do that, I had to time travel. Even you couldn't have stopped me.” Her face crumpled and she closed her eyes and nuzzled her forehead back into his. 

“It’s not fair.” she sobbed, losing the battle and letting the tears slide down her cheeks. “It’s not fair! You should be home with me, with the others, we should be…..”

“Whoever said life was fair?” he asked, pulling her face to his chest and resting his chin on top of her head.

“I'm going to wake up soon, aren’t I?” she whimpered.

“Probably.” he answered in an anguished voice, tightening his arms around her, desperate to keep her there with him, for as long as he could. 

“I don't want to, I don't want to wake up!” she said, her voice crazed. “I want to stay here with you. Five, I don't want to go.”

She clung to his neck, her body shaking as it started to go transparent and he could hear Grace's voice flow around them, beckoning her to wake up.

"It's all right,” he tried to comfort her, kissing her on the forehead. 

“Five,” she cried desperately. “I don’t, please... don’t let me go. I don’t want to go.”

“Vanya, look at me.” he said, pulling back just enough to lock eyes with her. “It’s okay. I’ll find a way back to you, do you understand, I’ll find a way back. I'm almost there, I just have a few more equations left before I have the answer, and then I’ll come home."

“Promise?” She asked desperately, her bottom lip wobbling and her now transparent arms still locked around him. Grace's voice swirled around them again, demanding Vanya get up, that breakfast was going to be served in five minutes and she couldn't be late. 

“I swear it.” he answered, his blue eyes feverish with emotions.

“Vanya I lo-”

The colors swirled and bled together in his vision and he sat up with a gasp. The world just as bleak and hopelessly empty as it had been before he went to sleep. “Fuck!” he cried, falling back onto his tattered sleeping bag.

Seventeen years in the past, Vanya jerked awake, sitting up with a desperate sob as Grace started fussing over her worriedly. 


	2. No Powers AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And this is my day two contribution. The no powers AU. And yes they're all connected in one big story.

Vanya tried to blink away the fuzziness from her vision as she deftly filled in the last bubble on the answer sheet, then breathed a sigh of relief, before dropping her number two pencil and turning her paper over. 

She had been terrified when she entered the classroom, where the teacher had decided to announce a surprise test, that would count as a fourth of their grade, only to find that her habit of listening in class actually paid off and the answers came to her with surprising ease. 

Leaning back in her chair, she stretched her legs out and held in a pleased groan, careful not to jostle the seat in front of her. The door clicked and she sat up straight as she realized just who had walked through it.

Five Hargreeves, in all his dark-haired, arrogant, blue-eyed glory stood in the doorway, backlit by the halls fluorescent lights like some hero from a bad shojo manga. Ignoring the whispers and seeming not to notice the giggles and titters from his fangirls, he power walked straight up to the teacher's desk, where he handed her a note then proceeded to lean against the whiteboard.

Vanya was startled a bit when the teacher called out her name and beckoned her to her desk.

“It seems you're needed in the office. Bring me your test paper and answer sheet, and then you can go.”

“Be sure to get your things.” Five interrupted, locking his indigo eyes with hers. "You won’t be coming back."

Nodding, Vanya scooped up her papers and books, put them all into her bag and then made her way hesitantly to her teacher's desk. Five watched as she handed in her test then pushed off the whiteboard and started to lead her out of the room. She pretended not to hear the whispers and speculation of her classmates as the door shut and she followed him down the hall.

“This ...isn't the way to the office she told him nervously when she noticed the halls they were taking weren't in the right direction for the office.”

“Nope,” he answered, never once faltering in his steps, “it's not.”

“I don't understand," she said stumbling a bit, "Mrs. Grayson said…”

“What’s not to understand?” he asked as he reached behind himself grabbed her hand then moved toward the nearest exit. He was halfway out the double doors when she dug her heels in and stopped, stubbornly refusing to go any further until she got an answer.

“Five what’s going on? You come into my class and pull me out of it with a note saying I'm needed in the office only now you’re saying we’re not going to the office…? I don't understand please just tell me what's going on."

“Do you trust me?” he turned and asked his eyes a soft crystal blue that left her breathless with his vulnerability. 

"What..?"

“Do. You. Trust. Me? He asked again emphasizing the words.

“Y..yes.” she stuttered 

“Then come on.” 

She followed him out of the building and into his car where he started it with a smirk, the engine practically purring as he backed it up then raced it out of the parking lot. Her mind conjured up images of angry school teachers and disappointed parents. It was as if she blinked and they were no longer on the highway but were pulling into a giant parking lot full of cars and happy people. Shaking the weirdness off she watched as he found a parking spot killed the engine and pulled up the handbrake. He helped her out of the car then made sure to lock the doors and arm the alarm. 

“Hmm, we’ll have to take the subway from here I'm not about to risk trying to park my baby where we’re going.” He patted the shiny roof of his rare black DeLorean and turned his cerulean eyes to hers. 

“But it's not too much further I promise.”

“Still not going to tell me where we’re going yet?”

“What kind of surprise would it be if I did that?” he asked her with a smirk. He held his hand out for her to take, his smirk softening into a genuine smile when she did so without any hesitation. He pulled her towards the subway train, helped her inside, and she blinked again only to find him waiting for her ready to help her off. Shaking her head she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again to find him looking at her his face and blue eyes filled with both worry and nervousness. 

“You don't like it?” he questioned in a disappointed voice.

“I..what?" she asked, still bewildered.

“Coney Island, Vanya. I heard you talking to Allison about wanting to go, so I thought…”

“Coney Island?!" She practically shrieked in excitement all thoughts about weirdness leaving her head. "You brought me to Coney Island???”

“Yeah, I thought you might…”

She squealed and threw herself at him giggling when he made an oomph sound and stumbled back a bit. 

“So I take it I did a good thing?” he asked smirking and bringing his arms up around her as she practically vibrated in place with exhilaration.

“A good thing?” She asked incredulously, ”A good thing?... Five this is….The Best Day Ever!” She grabbed his hand and began to drag him toward the attractions. 

“I want to go on all the rides and see all the shows, and Oh my god the Aquarium we have to go to the Aquarium. You can’t go to Coney Island without going to the Aquarium!….."

He followed behind her with a dopy lovesick look on his face, that he would die before _ever_ admitting to, as she kept bouncing along announcing all of the things they just had to do. 

And do them they did. It was a day that was filled with dancing, laughter, shows, rides and everything else under the sun. He watched, his chest filling with a deep ache while her whole face lit up with excitement and she devoured each and every new wonderful and exciting experience they had somehow managed to cram into the little time they had. 

“Come on," he said pulling her into one of the lines for the rides. It was well past dark now and the lights were shining softly from the attractions all around them casting their features in a soft glow. They moved forward in line and the attendant helped them into the seat and buckled them in. 

“The Ferris Wheel,” she breathed in awe her eyes shining as she reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’ve always wanted to ride one with you.” 

“I know,” he told her his blue eyes soft with emotion as the wheel turned lifting them high in the air. "Someday, I promise you, we will.” 

“I wish this were real." She told him her voice catching. "I wish we could have really had this. Normal lives with no powers. Me just a normal school girl skipping class to go on a date with you just a normal boy. No Dad or powers or Apocalypses to get in our way. Just us. I miss you so much.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close into a side hug and kissed the top of her head. "I'm almost there," he told her. "I almost have the answer it’s just taking me a bit longer than I thought it would.” She nodded and clung to him desperately as the wheel turned again lowering them back down. 

“How much time do we have left?” he asked anxiously. 

"Not much," she told him sadly, "I can already hear mom knocking on the door." The wheel lifted them back up into the air and Five turned to her, his face a mask of desperate anxiety. "Don't give up on me Vanya, no matter what he says. No matter what any of them say or tell you. Don't give up on me. I'm coming home."

“I know,'' she whimpered reaching out winding her arms around his neck and pulling him down so she could rest her forehead against his. 

“I'm just a normal boy here and you’re just a normal girl, right? And this is our first date," he asked trying to pull the illusion back over them. 

“Yes,” she whispered, just as desperate to fall back into it as he was.

“Well, then he said nervously licking his lips and leaning forward slightly. I think I’ll do what normal powerless boys do when on a date and steal a k……"

The colors and images of the world swirled around her and Vanya found herself awake in her own bed a horrible ache filling her chest as Grace stood over her once more informing her that breakfast was ready and she needed to get downstairs as soon as she could. 

Seventeen years in the future Five flopped back on his bedroll cursing life, the universe, and everything else in existence.


	3. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Time. You might want to go listen to David Bowie's As the World Falls Down while reading it.

_There's such a sad love, Deep in your eyes, A kind of pale jewel, Open and closed, Within your eyes I'll place the sky, Within your eyes_

David Bowie's voice crooned and sounded all around Five as he entered the room, his blue eyes scanning desperately for her. There was a sense of urgency within him, that was usually absent from these encounters and it worried him. 

Couples in fancy dress and otherworldly masks were dancing and laughing, giving off an eerie aura that left him feeling claustrophobic and even more anxious to find her than usual. Closing his eyes, he heaved a heavy sigh then opened them and really examined the room for the first time.

It was done up in silver and white, giant crystal chandeliers draped in pearls and lace dangled from the ceiling, clashing horribly with the autumn colors most of the dancers sported. A huge diamond studded Clock hung in the middle of the far wall, its sparkling hands both pointing at the eleven and he knew with a sudden clarity that once those hands reached twelve, their time here would be up. 

The anxiousness returned full blast, racing through his body once more as he realized just how limited that time would actually be. Urgency filling him, he began to search the room for her again. Bumping into dancers that turned angrily, ready to yell at him, only to back off with a bow, once they saw how he was dressed and seemed to realize who he was. 

Pushing through the crowd, he was startled as one of the bolder women pulled him into a waltz and he glared, ready to verbally eviscerate her, when the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of a shade of brown he would know anywhere. 

_There's such a fooled heart, Beatin' so fast, In search of new dreams, A love that will last Within your heart, I'll place the moon, Within your heart._

She was in a word, beautiful. Oh, she had always been beautiful in his eyes, whether she was wearing the contraband blue jeans he’d stolen and managed to smuggle into the house because he knew she wanted them, or the plain plaid skirts and white cotton blouses of the school uniforms Dad provided them with. She had always been beautiful...but this...

She was dressed in a white gossamer ball gown with golden accents scrolling up and down the bodice, emphasizing her tiny waist. Her hair caught up in a silver ornament, crystals dripping down around her neck and ears, casting tiny rainbows all along the exposed parts of her skin. 

She lifted her head, searching the crowd, obviously looking for something, her sharp amber eyes scanning each and every face they came across then dismissing them when they didn't hold the features she was looking for.

A frown settled on her lips as she sidestepped and dodged the dancing couples that seemed determined to get in her way, some glaring and sticking their noses into the air, while others laughed and jeered as she moved and tried to make her way around them. A cascade of bubbles rained down around them from the ceiling and he was finally able to catch her eyes. Her whole face lit up as she pushed her way through the crowd with renewed vigour.

The woman he was dancing with (if you could call it that) tried to get him to spin away from her but he managed to get her to let go and he moved in Vanya's direction with purpose.

_As the pain sweeps through, Makes no sense for you. Every thrill is gone. Wasn't too much fun at all, But I'll be there for you-ou-ou, As the world falls down._

The crowds parted for him, showing their respect as they bowed and stepped back and he couldn't stop the smirk that settled on his face as he met her in the middle of the ballroom, their eyes locking for several seconds before he deftly pulled her into a waltz.

“You’ve gotten better at this.” she told him with a smile as memories of a time long past, where he spun her about the library, desperately counting his steps, an old radio he’d managed to smuggle in, playing happily in a corner, filled her mind.

“Have I?” he asked with a smirk, pulling her closer as they moved to the music. 

“All smoke and mirrors, I assure you.” She laughed, a joyous laugh, that made his insides squirm. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He told her, unable to stop himself and her eyes shone up at him as he spun her out again and pulled her back into his chest once more.

“It’s the dress.” she told him, her cheeks dusting a pretty pink with pleasure.

“It's the person wearing the dress,” he told her, his blue eyes going soft. 

“But since we’re discussing clothes…” he paused, cocking an arrogant and amused eyebrow at her. "Did you really have to put me in the eye makeup _and_ the pants?”

“Shut up.” she half giggled, lightly smacking him on the chest. “Klaus wanted to watch Labyrinth last night. I'm guessing all this…" she gestured to the room around her, "is the result of that.”

“And the clock?” he asked, nodding his head at the giant, sparkling beast hanging on the wall. Its hands now pointing at the eleven and the ten.

“Time,” she told him softly, a frown stealing and replacing her smile. “It’s never been kind to us."

“Ever my enemy,” he mumbled, pulling her closer into his chest. “I just didn't realize how much of an enemy it would become."

“Captain Ahab has to have his whale.” she whispered nuzzling her cheek into his vest.

“I’d rather have you. Can I keep you?" he asked in a soft vulnerable voice, pulling back away from her so he could study her face.

“Ah, for that…" she bit her lip and stared up into his eyes, “For that, you have to come back.”

Suddenly, a great booming sound began to ring in the air around them and Five realized their time was up. The clock had struck midnight and it was time for Cinderella to wake up. 

“Come home, Five,” she told him with a serious face as her body started to go transparent.

“Figure out the equations and come home. And I promise ...You can keep me”

He nodded, reaching out for her. He leaned forward and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Five I…”

The world twisted and warped around them.

He sat up with a gasp his face a mask of disbelief as he opened his fist and stared down at it in shock. Very slowly an elated smirk started to slip over his features and he fell back into his bedroll with a relieved and exhilarated laugh. It was real! It was all real!! It wasn't some made up fantasy his lonely mind had come up with for comfort. For the first time since he had landed here he had hope. He would find the answers he would do what he had to to get home and then, well then…..all bets were off. Vanya was his..

He lifted his open hand to his eyes letting the smirk steal over his features once more. There resting in his palm a single tiny crystal twinkled and winked back up at him.

Seventeen years in the past Vanya made her way down to breakfast with a secret smile and a sudden irresistible craving for peaches.


	4. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Family

She was in a field this time. Wild flowers covered the landscape their perfume filling her nose as Butterflies darted in and out of her vision. Dressed in a yellow sundress that came to her mid calf, she was carrying a red checkered blanket and what had to be a picnic basket.

She was also wearing the most ridiculous hat that he had ever seen and while he had tried he couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up and escaped him as an errant wind came out of nowhere and blew it straight off of her head.

“Don’t just stand there,” she shrieked, “Help me get it back.”

The flowers and the butterflies danced and darted around him as he raced after the hideous thing, barely managing to catch it before it blew off to parts unknown. He turned with a triumphant smirk ready for her to declare him her hero and heap praises on him only to find her fighting the wind as she tried to spread out the blanket. 

He trudged back up to her holding the monstrosity out impatiently.

“Don’t pout she told him turning,” and taking it from his hand. “Klaus just bought it for me the other day. I’d hate to have to tell him I lost it.”

“Well that explains that,” he mumbled taking the other end of the blanket from her and helping to spread it out.

“What?” she demanded suspiciously her eyes narrowing dangerously. 

Five never one to worry about self preservation or silly things like filters opened his mouth and answered. 

“I said it makes sense. That hat is hideous Vanya. Our family is a lot of things. Fashionable isn't one of them.”

“It is not hideous,” she said dropping her side of the blanket and pulling the hat to her chest protectively.

“It's an awesome hat!” she said defensively.. “And it's the first time anyone of them have ever given me anything and I..”

Understanding dawned on him as to why she was so protective of the damned thing and he grimaced as guilt flooded his system. 

“It’s...it’s something alright..I'm sure it keeps the sun out of your eyes admirably.” 

She looked at him with incredulous eyes and then slowly let a soft smile slip across her face when she realized what he was doing. 

“Help me get this blanket laid out and then we can find out what's in the basket.” He nodded eagerly and together they managed to get it spread out and then lowered themselves onto it. 

“Have at it.” she told him, noticing his excitement and nearly laughing when he tore the lid open, reached inside and almost cried when he pulled out the peanut butter and marshmallow

sandwiches. He ripped the plastic wrap off of one of them and was unable to stop himself from devouring it like a ravenous beast. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and looked up to see Vanya’s amber eyes staring back at him worriedly. 

“You..you okay?” she asked softly. 

He looked at her with guilt and shame-filled blue eyes. He wanted to be suave for her. He wanted to be dashing and debonair and he wanted to savor the taste of the sandwiches on his tongue like they were a fine wine, but it had been so long since he’d actually had something that was edible much less something that tasted good, that he wasn't able to stop himself from opening it and shoving it into his mouth as fast as he could.

“Yeah.” he told her softly, taking another of the sandwiches out of the basket and handing it to her. “I’m fine, I just….”

“You were hungry.” she answered for him, letting him save face. “It happens.”

He gave her a wry smile, taking her out for what it was, and then opened the next, making sure to eat it slowly. 

“Tell me about the others.” he asked her in a solemn voice, leaning back and stretching his legs out along the blanket. “You said Klaus bought you the hat?”

“Umhm.” she answered, stretching her own leg out and wishing she had chosen a spot by one of the Sakura trees so she could lean against it. 

She blinked and was startled to feel the rough bark of a tree behind her back. “Well, that’s interesting.” she thought, looking up to find the branches of said tree casting a heavy shade over them. Five didn't seem to notice any of this. He just kept staring at her, waiting patiently for news of their family. Shrugging it off, she turned back to him and started to talk. 

“Luther is Luther,” she informed him. “He puts on his leader persona and hides in it. It’s impossible to actually know what’s going on with him. Allison...well, she does what she wants.” Five snorted, then moved over so he could lay his head in her lap. She startled, looking down at him for a second with big eyes, but he just smirked up at her.

“What?” he asked with the smirk growing larger. “The ground was too hard.” She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion but then shrugged it off and continued on as if he hadn't just spun her world on its head. 

“I try to stay out of her way, and she stays out of mine.”

“Diego is ...weird.” her eyes clouded over and he looked at her worriedly, his blue eyes demanding an explanation.

“What do you mean?” he asked in a dangerous voice. His body wound up tight like a spring ready to pounce.

“Sometimes he acts as if I don't exist, just like he always has. But others…”

“Vanya.” he demanded anxiously.

“I dont know its like..he wants to help me but he doesn't know how. Not really. It's like Dad can be mad and telling me how useless I am and he’ll just get this look in his eyes and I know he wants to say something but he doesn't. It's the same with Klaus, it's like... They want to help me but they’re too afraid to do it.” 

“So he acts like Klaus around you?” he asked, his voice still holding that dangerous tone. 

“Yes,” she told him softly. He let out a breath and his body relaxed again.

“And Ben?” he asked.

“Ben is Ben,” she told him as she began to run her fingers through his hair absentmindedly. “He reads books and doesn’t like missions and he haunts the library as much as I do. He misses you. We all do. Sometimes I feel guilty because I...well I get this time with you and they don't. I...I thought about telling Ben, but I'm not...I don’t think he’d believe me. He took you being gone almost as hard as I did. He has the same issues as you when it comes to logic and I don't really want him trying to make me think this isn't real. I don’t need that, I...”

“It’s real, Vanya.” he told her, lifting his hand up to cup her cheek and running his thumb under her eyes. “I promise you, it's real.”

“I know,” she blinked, startled at his conviction. “I know it's real but I was sure you’d have trouble believing it.”

_“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”_ He quoted, snickering at her outrage.

“Don't you quote Shakespeare at me, you Ninny. I'm the one that introduced you to him.” She fumed. He snickered again and pushed some of her hair behind her ear. 

“And what about Pogo and Mom?” he asked, dragging her attention back to his question.

“Mom is mom. She moves through her days with a smile and a song and Pogo…” She heaved a heavy sigh. How was she to explain this? She had learned things about Pogo and Dad that she had been told he couldn't know yet. Things that she had promised she wouldn't tell him yet. 

“Vanya?” he demanded in a worried tone.

“Pogo is Pogo.” she sighed, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. “He follows Dad’s whims and words to the letter, as if they are gospel. He, too, moves along with his days with a smile and a song, not caring about the carnage or hurt left behind.” 

“Okay, woah, you want to back up a bit and tell me what's going on there. The last time I checked you liked Pogo.”

“Not really.” she told him softly. “I'm just...I’m tired, Five. I'm tired of Dad acting like he's a god, and I'm tired of them all treating him like he is one. He’s not. He’s...He’s a monster, it’s just that no one is brave enough to say it now that you’re gone.” 

Five sighed and closed his eyes again. “They’re idiots.” he told her as if it were obvious. “They're all idiots. But they’re our idiots. I know it’s hard but you’re going to have to keep telling yourself that. They mean well, but they’re stupid and have no idea what they’re actually doing. They’re our family Vanya. And as messed up as it is, it actually means something.” 

She sighed and leaned her head back against the tree, closing her eyes. 

“Easier said than done. Like I said earlier, I'm tired and it's getting harder and harder to pretend and hold my face just right and...”

A crack rang through the air as someone stepped on what had to be a branch and they both snapped their eyes open. The dream was their sanctuary. No one else was allowed to be here, besides the autonomous pieces that helped to carry the illusion. 

“Quentin?” Vany asked, shocked as Five’s eyes shot to her. “Baby, what are doing here?” He tried to follow her line of sight but the world swirled and twisted, the colors blending together and he jerked awake. 

“Who the Hell is Quentin?!” he asked the air around him. “And what the fuck was he doing in our dream?!”


	5. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Jealousy

The sound of waves roared in his ears mixing with the calls of seagulls as they flew overhead. He was on an island from what he could tell. Blue transparent ocean water stretched out for miles on one side, and the pure white sand of a beach laid out on the other.. 

Palm trees littered the coast line their limbs swaying in the breeze as he walked barefoot along the shore the spray shooting up peppering his naked chest and shoulders in water droplets that dripped lazily down his skin in a welcome respite from the heat. 

He found her lying stretched out in a Sun Lounger. She was dressed in a simple two piece green bikini that left him both stunned and breathless.

“Well,” she asked exasperatedly, “You gonna keep standing there all day or are you going to make yourself useful and come over here and put this sunscreen on me?”

“Maybe you should ask _Quentin_ to do it,” he said sarcastically pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head walking to the lounger and deftly taking the tube from her hands. To say he was upset would have been a massive understatement. He'd spent two weeks waiting for one of her visits. Two weeks of wondering and waiting, of his mind coming up with different scenarios each more convoluted and involved than the last. His current theory involved Dad Aliens and plans of having her married off for his own personal gain. He wasn't exactly sure how the aliens came into play but he was positive they did. Delores had been no help at all. When he'd tried to talk to her about it she'd just laughed. Admonished him for letting peaty things like human emotions get in his way then told him he knew what he had to do if he wanted any chance of getting back so he could fix it. Christ he needed an explanation. If he were honest with himself he'd admit he was a ticking time bomb ready to blow at any second. Sitting down in the lounger that had conveniently appeared beside hers he squirted some of the cream into his hands and snorted.

“Well if you’re going to be that way about it I can just do it my..”

“Who is he Vanya?” he interrupted her moving her long hair to the side of her neck and out of the way as he began to slide his hands across her shoulders and then down her back.

“Who is he and how did he manage to get into our dream.” He emphasized the 'our' and then ran his hands back up her sides, his thumbs skirting along the sides of her breasts. and He smirked when she let out an involuntary gasp instinctively knowing she was holding back a moan. 

“Who's who?” she ask turning her head back to look at him in puzzlement. So she was going to play it that way hmm. Fine he could play dirty too. 

“Van-ya...” he tried again his voice dripping sin as he massaged her shoulders, “Who. Is. He?”

“He’s…” she gulped and let her neck go loose, her head falling forward as he continued to work his magic and dug his thumbs into her shoulders.

Leaning forward he drug his nose up the back of her neck inhaling only to exhale and let his breath flow across it causing goosebumps to rise in its wake.

“Who is he Van-ya?” he tried again whispering it into her ear this time. His voice took on a gravelly tone that was heavy with possessiveness.

Heat coiled in her abdomen and her stomach flipped as excitement started to race through her veins and she squirmed in her seat. She had never felt anything like this before, not even with him and she wanted… 

She shook her head trying to clear it. Then turned her neck sideways so she could look in his eyes.

“He’s...no one...” she told him firmly her amber eyes blazing. 

Something inside him snapped and screamed out in anger. A burning pit opening up in the interior of his stomach and he childishly imagined himself flipping tables and smashing walls. Preferably the walls back home. The thought of how Dad would have reacted to the smashing of his things delighted him and he filed those images back in the back of his mind to examine later.

“Well obviously he’s someone, otherwise you wouldn't be having such a problem with telling me who he is.”

“I don't...Five he's…”

“He’s what Vanya? Who is he?”

“Five I…. I can’t...you don’t understand.” she told him biting her lip.

“Then help me to understand.” He tuned her body so she was facing him His hands were on her shoulders and his aqua eyes were begging her for an answer. “How did he get into our dream?”

“It’s complicated.” she told him wincing when his eyes went hard and his face closed off in anger. 

“Then uncomplicate it.”

“I can't,” she told him. “I..”

“Why?” he asked in a hurt voice that made her feel like she'd been punched in the gut. In fact, she would have much rather preferred to have been punched than to have to see the look on his face or hear that tone in his voice and know she had been the one to cause it.

“I just...I can't.” She reached out and placed her palms on both sides of his cheeks and he closed his eyes and nuzzled into them. “There are reasons and they are important I...I made a promise.” 

“Could you tell me the reasons at least?

“I wish I could. Five I can’t…..” she breathed deeply. “Can't you just let it go? Let us have a nice day at the beach. Look at this place it’s beautiful and there's no one else here. We have it all to ourselves and you’re wasting the little time we have by arguing with me about something that shouldn't even be an issue.”

He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Trying desperately to calm down. She was right. They didn't have much time and he was wasting it but Jesus Christ he...he needed to know who it was. 

Did she do this often share her dreams with people? He had thought it was special. Something unique to them. But then the other...person..other man he thought gritting his teeth. Quentin was a male's name. The other man had shown up and she hadn't been a bit surprised and suddenly he was questioning everything he'd thought he knew to be true.

He forced himself to count to ten again and calm down. Then opened his eyes to find her features staring back at him in a pleading fashion and he sighed. How was he supposed to fight that? How was he supposed to stay mad and demand answers when she was looking at him like that? Begging him for nothing more than for him to spend time with her.

“Come on,” he finally said, holding his hand out to her.

She smiled and grabbed it. “Where are we going,” she asked when he pulled her up.

“Swimming,” he told her as he seized her up like a groom carrying his bride. “As someone just told me this place is beautiful. That water is much too pretty for us to stay out of it.” She shrieked out a laugh as he ran and pulled them both into the Surf. 

Later as they were laying out on towels his head back in her lap (his new favorite position) her fingers running through his hair and a fire he had somehow managed to start blazing cheerfully in front of them he couldn't help but ask her again.

“Who was he Vanya?” 

Her fingers immediately stopped moving in his hair and her body went stiff. 

“I told you he was no one.”

He grit his teeth and sat up.

“For Christ sakes Vanya he was in _the dream_. _Our dream_. That means something. He means something to you. If you’ve...if you’ve found someone else just tell me. I….”

“Oh for fucks sake," she yelled angry and shocking him with her language. "Didn't you ever wonder why I've never questioned any of this? Why I've always known it's real? How I've never once doubted that you were going to find your way home? I’ve never even looked at another man you...you asshole!! Goddess help me I can’t, you're it for me! You're it!!! Quentin’s not a threat to you, you moron. He couldn't be if he wanted to. He’s our son you idiot! Quentin is our son!” 

The last thing he saw before the world twisted and dissolved around him was the angry glare on her face and the only thought his poor brain could manage to muster before he woke up was “Christ she's beautiful when she’s angry.” 


	6. First Kiss/Last Kiss or As you wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: First Kiss / Last Kiss

The rock was hard and uncomfortable. She shifted her weight, trying to find a more comfortable position to be sitting in but the voluminous skirt of the medieval outfit she was dressed in was having none of it.. Oh it was a gorgeous dress, there was no denying that. All red lines and soft, leather boots to match. The only adornments being the simple gold belt that hung neatly around her waist.

The breeze blew through her hair, sending it in all directions and she grumbled unhappily as she shifted again and tried to push it from her eyes.

“You know," a voice sounded, “I'm starting to see a theme with the clothes here Vanya. If you wanted to see me dressed up, all you had to do was ask.”

She looked up at him, her eyes going wide with shock and she nearly swallowed her tongue when she realized what setting they’d been placed in this time. 

He gave new meaning to the words ‘sex on a stick’. Dressed in all black, his loose pirate shirt and marooner’s pants flowed in the breeze as he stood before her, sapphire eyes blazing behind the black eye mask and the pure black bandana that his character was famous for. 

“Goddess above.” she mumbled in shock. “I’ve landed us in _The Princess Bride_.” 

He snickered a bit and moved towards her rock, made himself comfortable on it then pulled her into his lap.

“Are you still mad at me," he asked running his nose along her neck.

“A..A little..” she stuttered. “It wasn't like I didn't want to tell you. I had my reasons.”

“You going to clue me into those yet?” 

She sighed and tilted her head to the right so he had access to the side of her neck.

"I was...warned it might change things. That if I told you it could put his very existence in danger." She snorted then turned so she could look him in the eyes. "Apparently our Babies take after you in the power department."

“Babies?” he asked his voice cracking and she snickered. "As in plural?”

“Did I stutter?” she asked sarcastically then squirmed when he pinched her side in retaliation.

"Tell me about him?" He asked when she’d settled back down. She unconsciously titled her her head for him in invitation and he smiled and began to run his nose along her neck again. “Tell me about our son.”

“He’s..mmmm…” she whispered as he hit a particularly sensitive spot and he filed the information in the back of his mind for future use. 

“The first time he showed up it was in the middle of dinner. There was this... flash of blue light and I could smell the ozone for a few seconds I...I thought it was you." He tightened his arms around her and she leaned further back into him. "Imagine my surprise when I suddenly had a lap full of dark haired rambunctious 3 year old who kept calling me Mama."

"He looked at me with the biggest most innocent blue eyes I had ever seen. And... I realized they were your eyes and he called me mama and... I was ...I fell in love. Dad went..well insane is too mild a word for it. He started screaming for Pogo and Mom demanding I give him the baby. But by then it was too late. I couldn't he was so small and he fit into my arms so perfectly and...I...I knew he was mine."

"Dad tried to get Allison to rumor me. I don't even know what she planned to say. He tried to get mom or Pogo to take him from me. Pogo reached out for him asking me in this calm voice to '_Please give me the baby Miss Vanya_.'" She snorted here rubbing the corner of her eye with her shoulder her fingers interlacing with his. "As if I would hand my baby over to that..that monster... that... thing. Quentin took one look at him and started screaming and I..I don't...remember exactly what happened next. I just knew he was mine and I had to protect him and that anyone who tried to take him from me was going to pay." 

“The next thing I remember is Ben. He was talking to someone and..everything was frozen. The whole room Dad Mom Pogo the others. They were all frozen. There was a giant hole in the side of the mansion and...she bit her lip and closed her eyes. I remember seeing a plate hanging in mid air inches from smashing to the floor. And that’s when I met the twins.”

“Twins?” he squeaked. She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes and smirked.

“Umhm" she muttered, "the twins are...well they’re special. No one really knows the extent of what they can do. Apparently they were supposed to be babysitting but Quentin got bored and decided to come looking for me. Heh I guess you could say he found me.”

“So then what happened," he asked, running his thumbs along the backs of her hands and leaning forward so he could press his cheek next to hers.

"They...explained some things to me and Ben. About what Dad was doing. What he was having mom and Pogo do. What he had planned for us. Don’t ask me I can't tell you," she said stopping him before he could even ask. "Just ...know that it's bad Five. It's...really, really bad." She gulped and closed her eyes leaning all of her weight back against him. "Bad enough that you risked a paradox trying to stop it. Apparently there was or there is...goddess I hate timelines," she brought one of her hands up to rub against her eyes in frustration, "Ben is so much better at explaining this stuff than me. I…" 

He made a soothing noise deep in the back of his throat before grabbing her hand and kissing it then leading it back down to the other so he could continue to hold it. 

“You’re doing fine.” her told her softly. 

“Something really big is supposed to happen but you fucked with time and managed to change it. You told the twins they were going to come back and when they did... to warn us."

"I don't really understand all of this they left several things out, told me I wasn't ready to know them yet. But...apparently they take after me. Where Quentin is all you they’re all me." 

“But you just said…” 

“I caused the dreams Five.” She interrupted. "I wanted to be with you and I unconsciously found a way to do it.”

"So you do have powers," he gloated. "You just hadn’t manifested yet. Ha," he snickered, "The old bastard was wrong. Oh he must have loved that. I knew it, I knew it wasn't logical for you to be powerless while the rest of us have them."

“That’s one way to put it?” she snorted with a wry smile. 

He looked at her curiously but she just shook her head. 

"Anyway, it turns out the reason everything was frozen was because of the twins. They did something to time used it to fix the hole I put in the mansion and then they altered everyone's memory." 

“Wait what?" He asked in disbelief, "Back up for a second. You’re the one that put the hole in the side of the mansion?? And our…" he gulped here, "...our children manipulated time to fix it?"

“I don't remember it," she said defensively, "They were going to take Quentin. Dad was going to take our baby and…"

"Hey..Hey no," he soothed. "I know...I'm so proud of you for protecting him.. if you decided to put a hole in the side of the mansion while doing it then all the better. I just wish I could have been there to see it."

"Hmm," she relaxed and leaned back into him again. 

“So they fixed the hole and then altered everyone's memories?”

“Yes” 

"They came in, dropped their bombshells, grabbed Quentin, and then..well they went home. Come to think of it, they are very like you."

He snorted and pinched her side again. She squirmed and stuck her tongue out at him. 

"Ben..Ben wants to leave the mansion Five. He wants to get the Hell out of Dodge and.. I can't really blame him. He’s..he already has a plan and everything. The only reason we haven't is because he can't leave Klaus and I won't leave without you. It’s...Silly I know but..uumpp."

He turned her head so she was facing him and then he kissed her. 

It was everything she had ever wanted. Oh, it was completely awkward at first. Neither of them were experienced and his lips slid roughly against hers but it was him. And she was patient and after a few more tries and adjusted positions, they managed to get the hang of it.

He pulled back his blue eyes twinkling in excitement his mouth pulled into a proud and smug smirk. 

And she lifted an eyebrow in amusement

“Since the invention of the kiss,” he began to recite. “There have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate.”

She snorted and smacked him on the chest.

“We have a long way to go before we make it to the five most passionate category you idiot.”

“It's fine," he told her smugly, his eyes turning an electric blue. "We’ve got this, Didn't you know? I'm a fast learner. we’ll just keep trying until we do."

"Farmboy," she called out in her most snooty voice, "Why are you wasting time with the talking? Shut up and kiss me you idiot."

"As you wish…." 


	7. Free Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Free Choice

“Hmm?” He asked absentmindedly, scratching his head as he scribbled on the sad excuse for scrap paper he had found. "No, if I do that, it displaces the number over here and I can't do that because…No Delores," he sighed exasperatedly. "the value of ...Are you crazy?" he finally demanded. "I’d end up splattered all over the multiverse. And that's if I'm lucky...you can't just…"

Laughter echoed around the empty hollowed out library where he'd made his camp and it set him on edge. It wasn't malicious or particularly unpleasant laughter. In the grand scheme of things, it was a rather normal laugh. But for some reason, it set off every internal alarm he had ever had. Maybe it was because he’d long ago given up on the hope of finding any survivors. Or maybe it was because it had been years since he'd heard anyone outside of the dream laugh. Whatever the reason, his self preservation instincts were screaming and he didn't like it.

He teleported towards the gun he’d managed to scavenge from an old army surplus bunker, and deftly pointed it at her head. If he had been unnerved before, that had nothing on this. She was dressed in a leather duster, that would have made Klaus envious, her makeup and white hair done up perfectly, emphasizing her ageless face.

She clicked her tongue. “You’ve been very naughty, Number Five.” She told him in a monotone voice, pulling her cigarette holder into her mouth. “We weren't even supposed to be having this meeting for another 43 years, but all your meddling seems to have pushed our timeline up quite a bit.”

“What?” he asked in disbelief. “My meddling? Lady, I don't even know you.” He made a show of pulling the bolt back on the rifle, hoping it would scare her into leaving.

“Oh please, Number Five. Don't play coy. We both know you’ve altered things. You’re just lucky that I'm the one in charge of your case. Anyone else and you would have been dead before the idea of ‘time travel’ had a chance to even enter your head.” 

“Yeah, I think it's time you leave. Before my finger slips and this bullet finds a new home inside your skull.”

“Now that would be rather tragic, given your...current circumstances.” She gestured to the world around her. And he narrowed his eyes.

“I have a deal for you, Number Five. A way out, so to speak. I work for an organization called The Commission. Sometimes, people...make choices that alter time. When that happens, we dispatch one of our agents to...shall we say...Take care of the problem.”

“I don’t understand.” he told her nervously.

“This version of you is so innocent.” She told him in bewilderment. “You shouldn't be this...optimistic, it's disturbing. What did you do? Everything we have on you says you should be well on your way to becoming a jaded and bitter oldman.” She ran her eyes up and down his body in a way that made him feel violated. He felt his skin crawl and he barely held back a disgusted shudder. She shook her head in bewilderment and then seemed to decide to continue on with her speech.

“I've come to offer you a job, Number Five. We've had our eye on you for quite some time and we think you have a lot of potential.”

“Uh huh. The last person who said that put me in a straight jacket and had me jump until I passed out, so you’ll have to excuse me if I'm not feeling very cooperative. You need to leave. Now.”

“You’re not ready yet. It’s okay, there’s still time. Not much. But maybe a few more years here in solitude and you’ll change your mind. Always a pleasure, Number Five. We’ll talk again.” 

She walked back out into the wasteland, opened the briefcase and was gone. Five never took his gun off of her. 

*******

“Did he agree?” A voice asked, joining her as she power walked into the massive building, that served as The Commission's headquarters.

“No.” she answered in a bored voice. “He’s not ready yet. He’s done something. He's nowhere near as jaded as he should be. The last time we danced this dance, he was near feral. Something’s changed and I want to know what.”

“Send someone to start rounding up the anomalies. We’ll put a bandaid on it for now. Then when we can find the source, I’ll stamp it out like the roach it is.”

“Yes ma’am.” the lackey answered, then made his way out the door, barking orders into his headset.

*****

"I don't know Vanya, she was weird." 

“Define: weird?” she asked. They were in the field again, dressed as _The Princess Bride_ characters and lounging back on a blanket. (Hey, she had a thing for pirates, don't judge.) 

“I don't know, she just...” he sighed and rubbed his face agitatedly with his hands. “She said she had a deal for me. That she could get me out of there. That I had ‘Potential’."

“Potential for what?” Vanya asked, biting her lip.

“I don't know, she said she worked for some place called The Commission and they took care of people who altered time.”

Vanya's whole body seized up in fright.

“What?” he asked, noticing the change in atmosphere.

“Five, we...our whole family...you, all of our children, you all have at least some ability to manipulate time. You've ...I told you, Future You changed things. You let the twins...come back and warn us about Dad, I…"

“She said I was naughty," he whispered to himself. "When she first showed up, she said that I had altered things. She must have been talking about that. Vanya, what did I do?" He asked, turning worried, teal eyes on her. "What did I do that was so big, it would have caught this ‘Commissions’ attention."

"You...changed stuff. Stopped something really big from happening. I don't know how but you stopped all this." The butterfly field faded around them, to be replaced with the horrors of the world he had to face everyday upon waking, the sky lit up with orange fire, ash raining down around them the heat so oppressive, it was hard to breathe. 

"Chrissy said you risked a paradox."

"Chrissy?" He asked immediately, turning his head and sitting up, so he could look at her with eager eyes.

"Our daughter," she said, biting her lip in worry. "one of the twins."

"Tell me about her?" She had been very forthcoming on stuff about Quentin, but the twins were still a mystery and he was curious.

The world around them faded back into the field and Five couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He lived that reality every day. He didn't need it invading and encroaching upon the dream.

“Chrissy is...she's basically a miniature you, with long hair. To say she doesn't suffer fools, is putting it mildly. 

Five smirked but then sat up straight in bewilderment. 

“What’s wrong?" She demanded worriedly. 

"Someone's here." he told her softly. "I think I'm waking up now." He had just enough time to see her worried eyes, before the world swirled around him and he was staring up into a matching pair that was set in a different face. 

******

Sometime in the future... 

Emma or as her father liked to call her, Twelve Hargreeves, was the spitting image of her mother. Where her brothers and sister leaned more towards their father in looks, all dark hair and blue eyes, Twelve took after their mother. At 16, she was the eldest of their merry little band, and as such, she'd been tasked with keeping everyone in line. 

Saturday was the twin’s birthday and that meant their house had been invaded with family and balloons. Dad, not being able to deal with all the noise, had volunteered _her_ to take all the kids to a movie.

She sighed and smiled down at Quentin as he clung to her leg. The sounds of another stupid argument broke out between her eldest brother Christopher (Chris) and Tomás, uncle Diego's and Aunt Dora's son. This time, it centered on who was better: Iron Man or Captain America. They'd been having this argument on and off for several years now and to be honest it was getting old. She had half a mind to just leave them all here, teleport home and tell Dad the new phone he'd promised her, (as long as she didn't mention it to Mom,) wasn't worth it. Claire, who was only a year younger, walked up beside her and placed a commiserating hand on her shoulder. 

“Think they'll shut up if we promise them pizza?” 

Twelve opened her mouth to pop back in an equally sarcastic manner then froze.

She caught a glimpse of something glinting out of the corner of her eye and had just enough time to grab Quentin and Claire, and scream at everyone to get down before the bullets started flying. 

Men, in what looked like 1940s Gas Masks and red cable suits, poured out of the streets and buildings all around them. They kept talking about contaminates and anomalies and insisting that if they just turned themselves over now, and came willingly everything would be fine. 

Twelve snorted. ”Yeah, fuck that for a joke.” she muttered in irritation. She looked across the street to find Chris's blue eyes staring back at her in worry. Biting her lip, she tried to figure out what to do when Claire took the decision out of her hands and stood up.

“You're not men,” she announced boldly to the air around them. “you're pigs. You're all Pigs.” Several of the men dropped their guns, got down on all fours and began to snort and...well, there was no other word for it, Twelve thought… wallow in the dirt like pigs. She shuddered and pulled Claire back down beside her as bullets once again rang in the air above them. 

“I'm sorry.” Claire whimpered, panting in what was obviously exhaustion. “I thought I could get them all.”

“It’s okay.” Twelve soothed, moving her eyes back to Chris again. ”You did great.” By now, He had made his way to their sister and was checking her over to make sure she and her group were alright. Twelve breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Chrissy shrug him off, obviously annoyed with his fussing. She turned and locked fathomless blue eyes with Twelve’s amber ones and suddenly the word _Home_ was broadcast loud and clear into her mind. 

_We have to get back home. To Dad. Take Claire and Quentin, we’ve got the rest._

_But I’ve never jumped with anyone besides Dad before I can’t…_

_Yes you can Emma, _her sister’s strong and reassuring voice rang back into her mind._ I believe in you._

Twelve nodded and squeezed her squirming brother closer to her chest, while grabbing Claire's hand. “Hold on.” she told her with a smirk. “It’s gonna get messy.”

Claire tightened her hold on her shoulder and Twelve reached out for the distinct and reassuring feel of her Father's mind, angled towards it then jumped.

The second she landed, she knew something had gone horribly wrong. The first thing she became aware of was the heat. It was oppressive bordering on unbearable. They hadn't even been there for five minutes and already she could feel the sweat drenching her shirt, causing it to stick to her chest and back uncomfortably. Fire licked the sky, painting it in oranges and reds and ash rained down all around them. Her vision swam and she had to fight to not pass out. She could hear Claire vomiting somewhere off to her left and envied her. Quentin squirmed, forcing her to either put him down or risk dropping him. She settled on the lesser of two evils, keeping her hand fisted in the back of the collar of his Superman shirt and fought not to be sick herself. She had never been so tired after a spacial jump before. Granted, she’d never taken anyone with her before but surely she shouldn't be this bad off. Quentin whined, straining against her hold and Claire seemed to finally manage to get her stomach under control. 

“Twelve?” Claire asked, her voice trembling. “Where are we? This...This doesn't look like your house.” 

Twelve gave a loopy, half crazed laugh and had to tighten her grip on Quentin’ shirt before he could run off. 

“That's because its not. Well, not unless mom decided to go apeshit and end the world again.” She laughed, that crazed laugh again and Claire bit her lip in worry, reached out and tentatively put her hand on her shoulder. 

“Where exactly are we anyway?” 

“I don’t…” Twelve bit her lip and sighed. “We can’t be where I think we are because...Dad said.._.IT_ didn't happen this time. But from what he’s said...Claire, I’m…”

Quentin finally broke free and began to race off into the broken landscape, the cry of “Daddy” falling from his lips. 

“Quentin, No!” Twelve cried out desperately. She tried to jump and her world spun once again. 

“Twelve!!” Claire cried. 

This time, she lost the battle with her stomach and vomited. Claire gave a disgusted grimace as she heaved in the dirt, several times, tears coating her cheeks as her stomach purged itself of its contents. She tried to breathe deep, to stop the heaving and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. 

“I can't jump!” she said, fear racing through her. “Claire, I can’t…” She’d never been unable to jump before. She had memories of being a tiny, little girl, wanting chocolate and knowing where Uncle Klaus had hid his candy bars and jumping to get them. She had _Always _had the power to jump. Even before her mental powers had manifested. For as far back as she could remember, she’d never been without it. 

“Quentin, please.” she called out, trying to stumble to her feet. “Come back!” She forced her legs to move. Stumbling over rocks as she desperately tried to catch her brother, before the idea of _jumping_ had the chance to enter his head. 

To her surprise and great relief, that didn't happen. She stumbled along behind him, moving as fast as she could, desperately clinging to Claire's hand and fighting off the nausea. She was surprised when he stopped at the ruins of what had to be the remains of the Schwarzman Building. The Main Branch of the New York Public Library. It was too much of a coincidence. And she very nearly laughed again. Gulping, she bit her lip as she picked her little brother up and sat him on her hip. She looked at Claire, who nodded in support, then screwed up her courage and walked through the curtain that had obviously been strung up in the imitation of a door. 

Debris and stone littered the ground everywhere she looked. Scavenged books were piled haphazardly in whatever nook or cranny the owner had seemed to find. The few walls that were somehow still managing to stand, were covered from floor to ceiling in her father’s equations, She should know. He’d had her work though enough of them “for fun” when she had been younger. A lone chalkboard and a single scavenged chair rested in the corner, where she knew the owner had to have sat, obsessed over his work. If she looked at it hard enough, she could see her father sitting in that chair, pouring over a book or using his brilliant mind to figure out the next great problem.

“Twelve!” Claire said in a slightly hysterical voice. “Look, it's a person.” She turned and sure enough, there in the corner, wrapped up in a meger blanket, was a person. “Can you...Can you use your mental stuff to see if he's..safe?”

Twelve gritted her teeth and forced herself not to snap. Claire didn't mean anything, she was just as scared as she was. Yelling or snapping at her about stupid questions wouldn’t help. She turned to face her and then handed Quentin over. “Hold him.” she ordered. “If something weird happens, you take him and run understand?” Claire bit her lip and nodded and Quentin, not liking being passed off, began to fuss. 

Twelve sighed, her vision still swimming in and out of focus as she walked over to the bed, her eyes going wide with relief when the features became clear to her. He was so much younger, in fact, if she were honest, he looked to be around her own age. It was him though, it had to be. The next fear that passed through her was, if he was alive or not, but he turned over, muttering her mother’s name and she nearly sobbed with relief.

She fell to her knees and reached out with a trembling hand and was shocked when blue eyes flew open and locked onto hers and her wrist was seized in a strong and calloused grip. 

“Daddy.” she whispered desperately. His blue eyes crinkled up at her with confusion and then, finally knowing they were safe, she allowed the blackness at the corner of her vision to take over and mercifully passed out.

*******

“And then, she jumped and we were here.” She could hear Claire’s voice and she whined a bit, wishing she would go away. She loved her cousin dearly, really she did, but her head was pounding and she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep until it stopped. 

“It’s a miracle she made it as far as she did. The first time I tried to jump after I landed here was…Well it wasn't pretty.”

Twelve whimpered and tried to pull her comforter back over her head, only to realize what she was laying under was most definitely not her comforter. Had she fallen asleep on the couch reading again? Mom hated that. She needed to get back to her room before she noticed her down here. She tried to push herself up and whimpered again. 

“Whoa, hey, no. You shouldn't be getting up.” 

“Daddy?” She asked, trying to squint up at him. “What are you doing down here? I have to get upstairs before Mom realizes I fell asleep on the couch again.” She tried to sit up and a wave of dizziness passed over her. Her stomach swirled and her head nearly split in two.

Tears filled her eyes and slipped over them and she felt like a little girl again. 

“Daddy, I don't feel so good. I think...I think I'm sick.” 

“It’s alright,” he told her, coming forward and putting his hand on her forehead, smoothing her banges back. “You just need to sleep.” 

“Hurts.” she whimpered, leaning into his hand. “Too hot.”

“I know,” he grimaced, pushing her hair behind her ears. “But you need to sleep some more and it will get better.”

“Promise?” she whimpered. “Mom won't be mad?”

“Mom won't be mad.” he assured her, his blue eyes going soft as he smoothed his hand across her hair again. “I promise.”

“Okay.”

She curled back up under the meager blanket again. 

“Is she gonna be alright?”

“She’s gonna be fine. I wouldn't allow it to be any other way.”

*******

“You didn't tell me about Twelve.” 

“You’re alright.” Vanya sighed in relief, jumping up and running to him. He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled his cheek into her head.

“You also forgot to mention how...strong it is. How much I’d want to protect them. How much I’d want to kill _anything_ that tried to hurt them.”

“Five, what are you talking about? I don't…”

“Quentin, his older sister and Allison’s daughter are here.”

“What?!” Vanya demanded “Quentin and Chrissy are there?!”

“No,” he told her. “Quentin and Twelve are here. Well, apparently I decided on Twelve and it stuck. You call her Emma. Claire was very adamant about that.”

“Wh...what?” Vanya stuttered. “I...Five, I didn’t know...I haven’t met her yet. They didn’t tell me...Are they all right?”

“Quentin and Claire are fine. Twelve is…”

“What?!” Vanya demanded, grabbing the front of his shirt, a semi crazed look in her eye. “What's wrong with her?!”

“Vanya, she jumped here just like I did. Only she was carrying two other people with her. If that wasn’t enough, from what Claire’s said, Quentin knew I was here and he took off to find me. Twelve tried to jump to get him...It... do you remember when Dad would get mad and he would drag me off for special training? How he’d have me jump until I passed out and then I'd be out for days?”

She bit her lip, starting to wring her hands and nodded.

“It’s like that, only ten times worse. She shouldn't have been able to stay awake as long as she did. When I first arrived, I slept for ages before I even attempted a spatial jump. She attempted it within seconds then managed to stay awake long enough to catch her little brother and find me. She’s sick Vanya. She needs food and water to rest and recharge...food isn't exactly something I have around here.”

“Why were they even jumping in the first place? What happened that she would need to be carrying people with her. I don't ...I didnt even know about her.” she whimpered. “They didn't tell me.” 

“Claire said we sent them out to go see a movie. Apparently, we do shared family holidays now.” he snorted.

“She said men with guns showed up out of nowhere and started calling them anomalies. They said they were from The Commission and told them if they turned themselves in, no one would be hurt.”

“So let me see if I'm getting this straight.” Vanya said, clenching her fists, her face going blank. “Not only is this Commission place sending creepy, old ladies to sexually harass you, now they’ve decided to send men to kill _My Babies_?!” 

“Vanya…” he started tentatively.

“No!” she demanded, her eyes turning white and the world around them blurring and changing into what had to be a concert hall. The red dress she was wearing started to bleach itself white and it took everything he had not to step back in fear. “Don’t you tell me to calm down, Five. My daughter, that I haven't even gotten to meet yet, is sick. And you’re stuck out in some wasteland, where there's no doctors and no medicine and no food. And it’s all because of this… Commission place. I’ll burn it to the ground. I’ll hunt every last one of them down and kill them slowly, I’ll…”

She had never been so terrifying. 

She had never been so beautiful. 

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders. Then swiftly sealed her mouth with his. She was stunned for a minute but then she raised her arms up around his neck, running her tongue across the seam of his lips becoming an eager participant.

“It’s scary.” he told her later, when they were back in the field. He was leaning back against a sakura tree and she was resting against his chest, her eyes and clothes back to their normal colors. 

“What is?” she asked softly.

“How connected to them I already am. She looked at me with complete trust. All she had to do was look at me and I was ready to kill anyone or anything that ever even thought about trying to hurt her.”

“It was the same for me with Quentin. When Pogo tried to take him from me...I lost it.”

“It’s fucking intense.” He said, tightening his arms around her.

She nodded, her cheek rubbing against his chest. 

“What’s she like?” Vanya asked in a tentative voice.

“She looks just like you.” he told her. “All brown hair and brown eyes. I haven’t really gotten to have a real conversation with her yet because of the jump sickness. But she's...she’s beautiful, Vanya. Just like you.” 

Vanya bit her lip. “It’s really bad, isn't it. The jump sickness, I…”

“It’ll be fine, I promise. She’ll sleep and well...I’ll figure something out about the food. There has to be…” He paused and tilted his head to the side as if listening to something. 

“What’s wrong?” Vanya asked worried. 

“Claire, she’s arguing with someone. I think I'm waking….” The world swirled around him.

******

“…..Can’t get up! Uncle Five said..”

“Claire,” Twelve started. 

“No, he told me to watch you while he's gone to talk to Aunt Vanya, to make sure everything was okay and I…”

“Claire,” she tried again.

“I know, you want to get up and make sure we’re alright and but…”

“For the love of….Claire!! I just need to find a freaking bathroom, I…”

“Bafroom, bafroom, bafroom!” Quentin chanted, running around the room and laughing. Twelve made a mortified sound and closed her eyes.

“Oh," Claire said softly, her cheeks heating up a bit. "there aren't really any bathrooms here, we’ve been using...well, Uncle Five has a place set up around the back we’ve been using. Here I'll help you."

“Claire, you’re probably my favorite cousin and I love you to pieces, but I swear to god, if you try to help me go to the bathroom, we’re going to have problems.”

She pulled her legs underneath her and tried to stand up. 

“You know,” a familiar, snarky voice, that soothed her frayed nerves and set her at complete ease stated. “You really should let her help you. There’s no way you’re going to be able to stand up, much less walk anywhere right now. Don't hurt yourself by being stubborn.” Twelve snorted and smirked.

“Mom says, I get it from you.” 

“Yeah, well, _Mom’s_ never seen the day where I came anywhere near measuring up to her stubborn streak.”

Twelve’s smirk (Which, now that he was looking, was all him. And he would never admit to it but it was kinda scary seeing his smirk set in Vanya's face) softened into a relieved smile. “Hi Daddy.” she said as calmly as you please. 

He swallowed nervously, his blue eyes glinting then smiled back.

“Hi.” he told her softly.

“Well, this isn't awkward, nooo.” Claire stated under her breath, only to have to dodge out of the way of a stray book Twelve sent flying in her direction. 

“Shut up, Claire. Just wait until you meet your parents in the past. You’re going to flounder too, and I'm going to laugh.”

“Oh my God! Did you just admit to floundering? The world must be ending, because the Great, Twelve Hargreeves would never admit to something like that.” 

Twelve raised a sarcastic eyebrow at her and Claire faltered. “... oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” Twelve stated flatly. 

“I was wondering why it was so hot.” Five stated blandly. “I guess it all makes sense now. My daughter managed to end the world with a snarky comment. I'm so proud.”

Twelve snickered and Quentin chose that moment to throw himself at his sister. 

“Juice, Welve, want juice.” 

“Hey Jellybean,” she replied, pulling him into a hug. “Have you been good for Daddy and Claire?” 

“I best,” he told her proudly. “I Superman.” He did the whole Superman pose and Twelve found herself smiling helplessly.

“Yes you are.” she told him, smoothing his hair back with her fingers. 

“Hungry,” he whined, “Please, Welve, want juice.” She looked up at Five and bit her lip, when she saw him staring at his clenched fists helplessly. He didn't like to talk about this time in his life back home too much, but from the little he had shared, she knew they were going to be lucky if there was even water here. 

“I’m sorry Jellybean, we don't have any juice.” His blue eyes filled up with water, his bottom lip started trembling and Twelve felt her heart break.

“Want Mama, Wheres Mama, Welve, want Mama.”

“I know you do, baby, but she's not here right now.” 

“Where?” he demanded, in that way only toddlers could.

“She’s back home sweetheart.”

“Go home then.”

“We can’t right now.”

“I Jump.”

Her blood turned to ice in her veins and she grabbed him, pulling him close.

“No! No, you don't jump, do you understand me? We can’t jump here. Do you understand?! Quentin!!”

“You mean.” he told her, the tears slipping down his face. “I want Mama!”

He began to cry in earnest and squirm, trying to get away and Twelve was petrified that if she let him go, he would try to jump and then wind up lost somewhere, sick and alone, with no one to help. She began to cry herself. Exhausted, tears started making their way down her own face as fear and confusion started to combine and volcano together inside of her. 

“Twelve…” Claire started nervously. “Your hair...you need to calm down, you…”

Five, who’d witnessed this transformation with Vanya not even an hour ago, was up and over to her so fast, she almost thought he’d jumped. 

“Twelve?” He asked softly, smoothing some of her now white streaked hair behind her ear. “You need to calm down.”

“He can’t jump.” she told him terrified. “If I let him go, he might jump and…”

“I know,” he told her. “He’s not going to jump, Sweetheart, I promise.”

“You don't know that, you--”

“I do know that. C'mere buddy.” he pulled Quentin out of her arms and into his own, where the toddler sniffed and laid his head against his shoulder. “You're not going to jump, are you?”

“Want Mama.” Quentin whined again.

“I know you do but she's busy. Your sister is very tired right now.” He told him with a serious face. “She jumped too far and now, she's afraid you will to. Understand?”

“Welve tired.” Quentin sniffed. 

“Yes. She's very tired and she needs to sleep. But she can't, because she's afraid you'll try and jump. Now I know you're smarter than that, aren't you? You have to be, you come from me.”

Claire snorted and the white started to fade from Twelve's hair.

“I smart.” Quentin said, still clinging to Five’s neck, his head on his shoulder.

“I know you are. That means you’re not going to try jumping again until we say you can, right?”

He whined again but nodded.

“I no jump?”

“You no jump.” Five told him. Then turned back to Twelve. “And you are going to go back to bed and sleep for awhile.”

“Okay.” Twelve agreed. “Umm yeah, Claire, I think I'm ready for you to show me where the bathroom is now.”

*********

The next time she woke up, it was to the sound of Claire's snores. Her Dad was sitting in the chair, pouring over a problem, his fingers running through Quentin's hair, who was fast asleep on his shoulder.

“You know you're doing it wrong. You should move the decibel to left, then it…”

“You sound like Delores.” he scoffed. “I can't do that, because then it displaces the number here, and I…”

“Seriously, Daddy, you've had me doing these equations since I was Quentin's age. In fact, this one, is one of your favorites.” she stood up and made her way over to the chalkboard. “We used to sit around the kitchen table and you’d give me this problem to solve and help me work through it while Mom cooked. I could solve this one in my sleep. See, if you move the decibel here, then you take this away for the value, it all works out and Boom.” she threw her hands wide dramatically, “you have the answer.” Five dropped the piece of rock he was using as chalk and stared at her in shock and disbelief. 

“I didn’t..that’s not...How did you...You solved it. You. Solved. IT!! You beautiful, brave wonderful girl.” 

“Well, it wasn't so hard.” she told him. “Like I said, this is one of your favorites. I could do it in my sleep.”

“This specific problem? I sat you down in the future and had you work through this problem. over and over?”

“Well yeah...I mean, you gave me other ones to work through too, but this one was always your favorite. You use to give me chocolate when I got it right.” 

He snickered and then very nearly cackled. “I am a Genius. And you, my dearest, darling offspring, are a chip off the old block.” 

“Huh?” Twelve asked clueless.

“Don’t you see? This isn’t just any problem. It’s_ the _problem. This is the problem that will get me home!”

*********

“Are you sure you can do this?” Twelve asked, wringing her hands nervously. “I mean, there are four of us here. Just bringing three of us nearly put me out.” 

“Only one way to find out.” Five said. She glared at him and he winked. “It’ll be alright, trust me.” 

Twelve sighed but then reached out and grabbed Claire's hand. 

“We go home now?” Quentin asked. 

“Yes,” Five said, closing his eyes as blue light rose up out of him, surrounding them all. “We go home now.” In a blink, they were gone.

*****

Dinner was just as silent as it always was, Dad was sitting at the head of the table, Lording it over everyone as some ancient man’s voice droned on and on in a lengthy and boring lecture about fishing in the mountains. 

Vanya looked around the room at her brothers and sister and snorted. As if any of them were going to be going to the mountains anytime soon. She chanced a glance at Ben, only to find him looking just as bored and done with this whole scene as she was. He glanced up at her and grinned, then turned his eyes to the record player and rolled them. 

It wouldn't be long now. He was going to talk to Klaus tonight. And then...well, come Hell or high water, they were getting out. They had already waited too long as it was. Chrissy had said the fatal mission Dad was planning to send Ben on was due any day now and…

The sound of electricity filled the room and the smell of ozone permeated the air. 

“Oh thank the goddess!” Five had said. Quentin was with him, so that meant it had to be the twins if…

Blue light exploded in the room around them and then faded away to reveal four figures. They were covered in dust and ash. “God, I hate jumping.” one of the girls said and then promptly ran to find a waste basket to empty her stomach.

“MAMA!! MAMA!! MAMA!!” an excited little voice screamed and suddenly, her arms were full of a very excited little boy, demanding juice and her attention. She squeezed him tight and covered his face with kisses.

“Hi baby,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I was so worried about you.”

Quentin was supposed to be with Five. So if he were here…

_“Number Five, What Is The Meaning Of This!!!”_

She looked up to see Five leaning against another girl. And froze. It was almost like looking into a distorted mirror. The features were hers but at the same time they were slightly off. Dad yelled again, demanding to know what was going on. And who these strangers in his house were. The girl flinched at the hostility and moved closer to Five. Vanya's heart immediately ached for her.

She stood up, setting Quentin on her hip and began to make her way towards them. 

When she finally reached them, she tilted her head and studied the young woman's face for a few seconds, then smiled. 

“You have your Father's nose” she told her solemnly, reaching out and pushing her hair behind her ear. Twelve smiled and Vanya grinned back. “And his dimples too, apparently.” 

“Hi Mom.” she whispered, still grinning.

“Hi baby.” She ran her fingers through her hair one more time. And a throat cleared beside them. 

“And here I thought, you would be excited to see me. I mean, I knew our little prodigy here would take up some of your time, but I thought I at least earned a hel..ummp.”

She kissed him. 

It was all teeth and tongue, heat and fire. Want and Need and I missed you, I missed you too. Never leave me again, Never, Never, I swear it, all rolled into one magical kiss and Twelve reached out and grabbed Quentin so that her father could pull her mother closer. 

Hargreeves was still ranting in the background, eyes bulging in his head and Twelve hoped he was having a stroke. The rest of the room was stunned into silence at the display.

“So, how did I do?” He snickered softly, when they finally came up for air. “Are we in the top Five yet?”

“Idiot,” she whispered, still clinging to his shirt. “I'm the one who kissed you.” 

“I can remedy that.” 

_"Number Five! Number Seven! What in Gods Name Do You Think You Are Doing?!”_

“I'm kissing my wife, old man. What does it look like?” 

“Wife?” Vanya asked stunned.

“Well, you will be soon, if I have anything to say about it. We have proof enough of that right here.” he said, gesturing to both Twelve and Quentin. “As far as I'm concerned, you already are.” 

Vanya nearly melted into a giant puddle of goo. And he smirked when he realized the effect his words had had on her.

“Now,” Five said. “I believe you said there was a plan already set up for us to leave? Where's Ben?”

*******

Two hours later found them sitting in an entirely different house, snuggled up together on a couch, Twelve was curled up in an armchair with a book over to the side, snoring slightly and Quentin was passed out in Vanya's arms.

“They’re going to have to go home soon.” He told her in a slightly depressed voice.

“I know.” she told him, smoothing her hand through Quentin's dark locks. 

“I don’t...I’m not quite sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I know they need to, but on the other…”

“It hurts,” she whispered. “To be separated from them.” He nodded, kissing her hair. 

“We just...we have to enjoy them while they’re here and know we’ll see them again later. That’s how I’ve been able to cope with it anyway.”

He sighed. For the first time in years, he was comfortable outside of the dream. He was pleasantly warm and full and he had Vanya and their kids. Life couldn't get any better than that. He let himself relax into a slight doze, only to jerk awake when the sounds of electricity filled the room.

There was a flash of blue light and two kids were left standing in the living room with them.

The girl blinked and looked at him in surprise before smirking. 

“I toooold you.” She said snickering. And Five was disturbed to see so much of himself set in a female face. It was one thing to see his smirk and cunning on Vanya’s face...but this...Vanya hadn’t been kidding when she said she was a female him. 

“I told you he had a plan.” The girl taunted. The boy grumbled and reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. He began to leaf through the contents until he seemed to find what he was looking for and handed her some money.

“Don’t gloat, Chrissy, it’s tacky.”

“Pfft, you’re just mad because you were wrong.”

“We both know if you had been right, you’d be gloating just as hard as I am right now.” She turned around and couldn't keep her smirk from growing or her dimples from flashing.

“Hi, Daddy.” she announced as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Hi...I'm guessing you’re Chrissy?”

“Yup.” she said, popping the 'P.'

“You’re scaring him, Chrissy.” the boy stated. He let out a long suffering sigh then smiled. “Hi Dad.” he told him with an easygoing grin. “I'm Chris, by the way. Is Mom awake or is she out for the night?” Five looked over at Vanya, who still had a death grip on a sleeping Quentin but her head was resting on his shoulder, relaxed in sleep. 

“I think she’s down for the count.” Five told them softly, brushing her hair back. “We’ve had an eventful day.”

“I’ll bet.” Chris told him. “This is the day you guys finally left the mansion right? Finally decided to enact Uncle Ben's ‘Let's get the Hell out of Dodge’ plan?”

“Yup.” Five answered, then was visibly startled when he realized he’d popped the P just like Chrissy. Chris snickered then looked around in worry. 

“Where’s Claire?”

“Upstairs with Allison. They’ve been joined at the hip since we got back.” 

“Ah, makes sense.” He heaved a heavy sigh then moved to the floor in front of them and proceeded to flop down onto it. Chrissy, who seemed to have no boundaries, curled up on Vanya's side of the couch and rested her head on the edge of her lap. 

Jostled, Vanya opened her eyes, only to shift Quentin a bit, careful not to wake him but enough to make room for her when she realized Chrissy was using her as a human pillow. 

Chris leaned back against his leg, his soft snores joining with the others in the room and for the first time in his life, Five felt truly content. Oh, there would be obstacles, there always were but for right now, in this moment, surrounded by the soft snores of his family, he was truly happy.

******

Sometime in the future...

The Handler stood, watching in disbelief as her life's work burned down around her. Her agents were scattered to the winds, the smart ones abandoning ship and going native, in whatever times their last assignments had stranded them in. The not so smart ones…Well, the bodies littering the ground around her were evidence enough of their fate. The brief cases were gone. They had been the first casualties to his vengeance. How did she let things get so far out of her control? How had this happened? 

“You never should have come after my children,” a cold voice said and she felt the bite of a gun on the back of her head. “You see, up until that point, I was willing to tolerate your existence. Oh, I wasn't happy with it. I wanted to end your miserable, pathetic excuse for a life, the second I was made aware of the full extent of what you had done to me and mine. But my wife argued against it. You see, she’s an optimistic person, my wife. And despite what you and your depraved organization had planned for her, she told me I didn't need anymore blood on my hands. Much less a pathetic, worthless piece of shits like yours. So I was content to leave you alive because it was what she wanted. Then you went after our children. While she's very forgiving when it comes to people hurting her, she will end entire worlds for our kids. But you would know all about that wouldn't you" He pulled back the hammer on the gun, relishing in the fear that was coming off of her body in waves.

“I'm just a small cog…” He pulled the trigger and watched in satisfaction as her body dropped dead to the concrete below them.

“Is it done?” Vanya asked, later that night, when he slid into bed beside her. 

“It's done.” he answered, pulling her into his arms, and burying his nose into her hair, relishing in the sweet scent coming from it. “The kids can come back tomorrow.” 

“Good.” she told him vindictively, nuzzling her body into his. “You okay?” 

“More than.” he answered, running his lips along her neck and his hands following a familiar path along her body that he knew would set her on fire. For the first time in his life, Five realized he wasn't just giving the answer he thought he was supposed to give. Hargreeves and the Handler were dead. Ben was alive. His plans had all come to fruition and he'd successfully changed history. There was no more Apocalypse to worry about and Vanya was here beside him warm and alive and everything he had ever wanted. His children were safe. For the first time in his whole life as he relaxed into her hands and kiss, he really believed it when he said he was okay. A reckless and crazy idea occurred to him suddenly and he smirked.

"Van-ya," he said as she arched into him and moaned. "Let’s have another."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends my foray into Fiveya week. It was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoyed it. I'm going to turn my attention back to Two Worlds and Books and other creatures now. Comments and Kudos give me life so they are appreciated. ^_^


	8. Chapter 8

So yeah, I cant seem to stop having ideas for this universe. Soooo I'm doing a bunch of Holiday one-shots, then gonna put up a sequel. The Halloween one should be up in a few seconds. I hope you guys enjoy it.


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